CN115103950A

CN115103950A - Drilling tool and system for drilling tool identification

Info

Publication number: CN115103950A
Application number: CN202180014319.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 戈兰·施滕贝格; 亨里克·松德贝里
Original assignee: Epiroc Drilling Tools AB
Current assignee: Epiroc Drilling Tools AB
Priority date: 2020-02-13
Filing date: 2021-02-08
Publication date: 2022-09-23
Also published as: MX2022007139A; CA3168642A1; AU2021219240A1; EP4103811A1; US20230088887A1; WO2021162611A1; US11920410B2

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of drilling tool identification. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a drill tool and a system configured for such drill tool identification. The drilling tool includes machined marks on the peripheral surface, wherein the machined marks are positioned on a section of the peripheral surface and include a matrix of recesses having predetermined column and row positions to convey an identity of the drilling tool, and wherein the machined marks are optically readable from a plurality of single directions when installed in the drilling tool.

Description

Drilling tool and system for drilling tool identification

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of drilling tool identification. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to drilling tools and systems configured for such drilling tool identification.

Background

When performing drilling operations for mining or tunnelling, for example in rock-like materials, various types of drilling rigs are used. In many cases, the drill rig uses accessories in performing the drilling function. For example, a breaker attachment may be used to remove concrete or rock by transferring impact forces to the concrete or rock using hydraulic means. There are different types of drilling rigs, of which the "DTH" (down hole) drilling rig and the top hammer drilling rig are two commonly used drilling rigs for drilling. The drilling operation may be performed in a vertical direction or in a direction close to the vertical direction, but up-drilling and horizontal drilling are also possible. Other applications require other types of drilling equipment; drilling rigs adapted for operation also in other directions are known in the art.

Since rock drilling is performed in hard materials, special kinds of drilling tools are used for this operation. Examples of such drilling tools include drill bits, shank adapters, rods and tubes. In operation, the drill is exposed to harsh conditions. This is particularly true of drill bits which will be subject to significant wear during operation and which will require maintenance in the form of replacement and/or regrinding which in turn results in the need to remove and attach the drill to the drilling rig. The drill bit is replaced due to damage, aging, normal wear, etc.

One common drilling technique is percussion drilling, in which, for example, an impact device, such as a hammering device, strikes the drill bit directly or repeatedly via the drill string, so as to transfer impact pulses to the drill bit and further into the rock. Percussion drilling may be combined with rotation in order to obtain the following drilling: in such drilling, the buttons, or buttons of the drill bit strike new rock on each stroke, thereby increasing the efficiency of the drilling. High energy pulses are transmitted through the drill string at a frequency of about 20Hz to 200Hz and a peak force of about 200kN to 900 kN.

Since different drilling tools are configured for different applications, it is necessary to match the drilling tools to the equipment and operational requirements, i.e. to ensure that drilling rigs and other types of drilling equipment are configured with suitable drilling tools for the intended operation. Furthermore, there is a need to ensure that replacement of the drilling tool is performed using replacement parts that meet the intended application requirements, e.g. as set by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). If the operator chooses to install drilling tools in the drilling rig that do not meet the OEM standards, these drilling tools may not meet the specifications and required quality; this effect can be detrimental to the performance and reliability of the drilling operation when the replacement drill cannot withstand the required performance levels without failure. Being able to reliably identify the drilling tool that needs to be replaced is a key aspect of ensuring proper replacement action. There is also a need to identify and track drilling tools from the manufacturing facility through the logistics chain to the customer and in the operational chain including service and recovery or destruction. This will improve the understanding of customer consumption rates and can be used for prediction.

The identification process typically requires matching the drill tool tag with drill tool specific information, such as information stored in a database. The process of retrieving such drill tool specific information may be facilitated by using machine reading and automatic information retrieval from a database.

US2016/0194950 a1 discloses a drill pipe identification system capable of matching drill pipe identifiers to information stored in a database. In the proposed drill pipe identification system, the identifier is built into the pipe by milling/cutting into the pipe. The identifiers are arranged in one or more rows along the circumference of the pipe and reading is effected by one or more sensors mounted in the drilling machine. Reading is performed by rotating the drill pipe in front of one or more sensors to enable remote reading of the identifier code.

US 9,611,703B 2 discloses another drill pipe identification system in which a drill pipe history may be retrieved from a central storage. The compiled history may be accessed by reading the identification code on the drill pipe and using it to retrieve data corresponding to the particular identification code. The identification code of the drill pipe is welded or stamped along the circumference of the drill pipe and is extracted by means of one or more sensors mounted at predetermined positions within the drilling machine.

Therefore, solutions that are able to identify drill pipes and retrieve relevant data are part of the background art. Known solutions use an arrangement with permanent sensors mounted at predetermined fixed positions to extract barcode data scribed or embossed around the circumference of the drill pipe. A disadvantage of these devices is the requirement to locate one or more sensors in line with the drill pipe. Reading/identification may be disabled even if there is only a small misalignment between the sensor and the circumferentially located identifier. Furthermore, installing sensors in a drilling rig environment has the disadvantage that the sensors will be exposed to harsh environments and may need to be periodically repaired/replaced.

In the background art, attempts have been made to overcome the disadvantages of having a permanent sensor reading device by using bar code tags or NFC/RFID tags of the drilling tool and using an associated reader.

However, despite providing high reliability when machines read unused drilling tools and are able to read using non-stationary sensors, bar code tags and NFC/RFID tags have proven to be unable to withstand harsh conditions and high energy transmission experienced by drilling tools during operation. Therefore, background attempts to configure drill tool identification systems with machine reading of bar code tags or NFC/RFID tags have failed to provide a solution capable of identifying drill tools that have been used for a long period of time or at the end of their life cycle.

Therefore, a robust and wear resistant solution is needed to machine-readable identify the drilling tool.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a drill and a drill identification system which aim to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate all or at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages of the currently known solutions.

These and other objects are achieved by means of a drill and a drill identification system as defined in the appended claims.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a drilling tool is provided, which is configured for use in a drilling rig arranged to perform rock drilling operations. The drilling tool includes machined marks on a peripheral surface of the drilling tool, wherein the machined marks are positioned on a section of the peripheral surface and include a matrix of recesses having predetermined column and row positions to convey an identity of the drilling tool. When installed in a drill, the machined marks are optically readable from a plurality of single directions.

Drilling tools including machined marks offer the following specific advantages: the identification is provided that will withstand wear of the drilling tool and will enable remote identification throughout the life cycle of the drilling tool, i.e. identification that does not require mounting of sensors on the drilling machine or in a fixed position relative to the drilling tool. The machining marks are adapted to convey the identification of the drilling tool, i.e. to provide an identification code unique to the drilling tool, so that the drilling tool can be uniquely identified by means of image detection.

In some examples, the machining marks are positioned on a section having an angular range of 30 ° to 120 ° and preferably 30 ° to 90 °.

In some examples, the matrix of recesses comprises at least three recesses, and wherein the at least three recesses are arranged to have corner positions in the matrix and any additional one or more recesses are arranged to have non-corner positions.

In some examples, the dimples are positioned in columns and rows arranged in a matrix, e.g., a 3x3, 3x4, 4x3, 4x4, 4x5, 5x4, 5x5, 5x6, 6x5, or 6x6 matrix. According to a second aspect, a system for identifying a drilling tool is provided. The drilling tool is configured for use in a drilling rig arranged to perform an earth drilling operation or a drilling operation of rock-like material. The system includes a drilling tool including machined markings on a peripheral surface of the drilling tool, wherein the machined markings are adapted to convey an identity of the drilling tool and the machined markings are disposed in a surface of the drilling tool that is optically readable from a plurality of unique directions when installed in the drilling machine. The machining indicia are positioned on a section of the perimeter surface and include a matrix of recesses having predetermined column and row locations. The system further comprises: a portable image detection reader adapted to obtain one or more optical images of the machined marking from at least one of a plurality of single directions, i.e. the image detection reader is positioned at a corresponding location remote from the drilling rig and has a line-of-sight direction to the machined marking; and processing circuitry configured to retrieve identification data for the drilling tool based on the obtained one or more optical images of the machined mark.

Accordingly, a drill bit identification system having several beneficial features is provided. The machined marks on the surface of the tool, which convey the identity of the tool, provide a highly robust and wear resistant identification of the tool during its entire life, i.e. also at the end of its life cycle. Furthermore, the system provides the following advantages: highly automated recognition of the drilling tool is achieved with image detection, for example using state-of-the-art camera devices, subsequent image processing operations and retrieval of recognition data based on the obtained optical images.

In some examples, the processing circuitry is at least partially included in a centralized data management center or server that includes identification data and other types of additional data provided to the drill tool user. The processing circuitry may also be combined with an image detection reader in a portable unit, such as a smartphone, tablet, or other portable programmable unit, for example. The identification data may be stored in the cloud application or downloaded into a local memory associated with the processing circuitry, e.g., stored as a smartphone application.

In some examples, the image detection reader is configured for wireless communication with the processing circuit. This has the advantage that a larger data set can be used for processing by the image detection reader. In addition, data from the image processing reader may be uploaded for data analysis in the processing circuitry, enabling wear analysis of a particular drilling tool for traceable applications.

In an example, a method for identifying a machined mark is provided. The method is suitable for the following drilling tools: the drilling tool is adapted for use in a drilling rig arranged to perform an earth drilling operation or a drilling operation of rock-like material. The method comprises obtaining an optical image of a machined marking located on a surface of the drilling tool from at least one of a plurality of single directions, i.e. from one or more image detecting reader positions having a line of sight direction to the machined marking, and retrieving identification data based on the obtained optical image of the machined marking. The machined marks comprise a matrix of recesses having predetermined column and row positions to convey the identity of the drill, and are disposed on a surface of the drill that is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when mounted in or on the drill surface.

An advantage of any of the above disclosed aspects and examples provides for a highly robust and wear resistant identification of the drilling tool during its entire life, i.e. also at the end of its life cycle. Furthermore, the system provides the following advantages: highly automated recognition is achieved with image detection, for example, using state-of-the-art camera devices, subsequent image processing operations, and retrieval of recognition data based on the obtained optical images. Thus, the disclosed embodiments not only provide robust and wear resistant identification of the boring tool or rig, but also enable identification from a distance, thereby eliminating the need for physical alignment of one or more sensors mounted in the vicinity of the boring tool.

Drawings

Further objects, features and advantages will emerge from the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating example embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary drilling rig in which embodiments of the present invention may be utilized;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example system for identifying a drilling tool;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an example drill;

FIG. 4A schematically illustrates a tag implementation of a 4x4 matrix;

FIG. 4B schematically illustrates an alternative tag implementation of a 4x4 matrix;

FIG. 5A shows a schematic flow chart illustration of an example method for identifying a drilling tool;

FIG. 5B shows a detailed flowchart illustration of the example method of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C shows a detailed flow chart illustration of the filter 1 in FIG. 5B;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example drill before and after wear.

Detailed Description

Aspects of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The systems, arrangements, and methods disclosed herein may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein. Like reference numerals in the drawings refer to like elements throughout the disclosure.

It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising" when used in this disclosure is taken to specify the presence of stated features, steps or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Embodiments of the invention will be exemplified hereinafter in view of a particular type of drilling rig in which drilling is carried out by using a percussion device in the form of a down-hole (DTH)/down-hole (ITH) hammer. However, the invention is also applicable to other types of drilling machines, such as top hammers or surface excavation drilling machines, and mining machines. According to an embodiment of the invention, the drilling machine may also be in the form of a top hammer.

Fig. 1 illustrates a rock drilling rig 100 configured to include a drill bit or other type of drilling tool or drilling component having a shorter life cycle than the rock drilling rig. The illustrated drilling rig 100 is in the process of drilling a hole having a desired completion depth d, and wherein the current drilling has reached a depth x.

The rock drilling rig 100 according to the present example constitutes a surface drilling rig, but it should be understood that the drilling rig may also be a drilling rig of the type primarily intended for underground drilling, for example, or a drilling rig for any other use. The rock drilling rig 100 comprises a carrier 101, which carrier 101 carries a boom 102 in a conventional manner. Furthermore, a feed beam 103 is attached to the boom 102. The feed beam 103 carries a carriage 104, which carriage 104 is slidably arranged along the feed beam 103 to allow the carriage 104 to run along the feed beam 103. The carriage 104 in turn carries a rotation unit 105, which rotation unit 105 can thus run along the feed beam 103 by sliding the carriage 104.

In use, the rotation unit 105 provides rotation of the drill bit 108, and the rotation unit 105 is connected to a percussion device in the form of a down hole (DTH) hammer 106 by means of a drill string 107. In addition to rotating the drill string 107, the rotation unit 105 also provides a feed force acting on the drill string 107, thereby pressing the drill bit 108 against the rock face being drilled.

As the name implies, a DTH-hammer (percussion device) 106 is working in a down-hole at the end of a drill string 107, wherein a percussion piston (not shown) of the DTH-hammer 106 strikes the drill bit 108 in order to transfer shock wave energy to the drill bit 108 and further into the rock to break the rock. DTH hammers are useful, especially because the rate of penetration is not significantly affected by the length/depth of the hole being drilled. The length/depth of the hole to be drilled may be of the order of, for example, 3 to 300 meters, but may also be less or more.

Thus, the rotation provided by the rotation unit 105 transmits the rotation to the hammer 106, and thereby to the drill bit 108, via the drill string 107.

The rock drilling rig 100 further comprises a rig control system comprising at least one control unit 120. The control unit 120 is configured to control various functions of the drilling rig 100, such as controlling the drilling process, and may also be configured to include processing circuitry configured for processing and retrieval of component information, as will be described further below.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates an example identification system 200 for identifying a drilling tool 210. The system 200 includes an image detection reader 220, processing circuitry 230, and optionally a display device 240. The drilling tool 210 is configured for use in a mining machine, such as the rock drilling rig shown in fig. 1. The drilling tool 210 includes machining marks 211, such as machining codes, located on a peripheral surface of the drilling tool. The machining marks are positioned on sections of the peripheral surface and comprise a matrix of recesses having predetermined column and row positions to convey the identity of the drill, i.e. to represent an identification code that may be unique to a particular drill sample. When installed in a drilling rig, the section including the machined indicia is optically readable from a plurality of single directions. Thus, the machined indicia is configured to enable remote reading from any single remote reader location of the plurality of single remote reader locations. Thus, the reader need not be held in the same position each time a machined mark is read. The reading may be made from any one of a plurality of single directions, for example by a person using the hand-held device and moving around the area of the drill. The positioning of the reader may be varied each time a reading is performed. Drilling tools including machined marks provide the following specific advantages: the identification is provided that will withstand wear on the drilling tool and will enable remote identification throughout the life cycle of the drilling tool, i.e. identification that does not require mounting sensors on the drilling machine or in a fixed position relative to the drilling tool.

The disclosed system may also be used to identify drilling rigs and/or drilling components that carry the same type of machining indicia on a visually available, i.e., optically detectable, surface.

The machining marks 211 are provided on a section, i.e. a surface of a section, of the peripheral surface of the drill tool that is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when mounted in the drill, for example on a part of the engagement portion 212 or the shank of the drill bit. The machining marks are positioned on a section that is optically available from a remote, single location; wherein the single position may be selected from a plurality of single positions within the angular range of the segment. The machined mark may be positioned on the engagement portion and may have an angular range of about 30 ° to 120 °, and preferably about 30 ° to 90 °.

The same type of machining indicia may also be provided on the optically readable surface of the drill and/or drilling component, and the same coding system (described below) is also applicable to machining indicia provided on a drill or other drilling component. Thus, the disclosed system using a combination of an image detection reader and processing circuitry may be broadly applicable to the identification of machined marks regardless of which item is subject to such encoding.

The machining marks 211 include a plurality of recesses disposed in a matrix configuration on a peripheral surface of the drilling tool 210, for example, on the engagement portion 212. As will be explained further below, the machined marks are arranged in a pattern and have a depth such that the machined marks are also optically readable after significant wear of the drill, i.e. at the end of the life cycle of the drill.

The matrix of recesses may comprise at least three recesses, and wherein three recesses are arranged to have corner positions in the matrix and any further one or more recesses are arranged to have non-corner positions. The fourth corner position is free of a recess so that the corner position can be used as a reference during optical reading of the machined mark. The provision of three corner recesses enables remote reading from a reader located at any line of sight position of the matrix.

In some examples, the recess is machined as a non-through hole, e.g. a non-through bore, having a width or diameter D in the range of 0.5mm to 10mm, and preferably 1mm to 4 mm. The recesses may be machined to have a mutual centre point distance of twice the width or diameter D of the recesses, i.e. 2 xD. Non-through holes may also be obtained by milling operations and machining in the casting operations of the drill rod. The non-through holes are machined to have a depth of 1mm to 10mm and preferably 1mm to 3mm as measured from the surface of the drill prior to use. At the end of the drill life cycle, the depth of the non-through hole may be reduced compared to the original depth due to significant wear of the drill during the drilling operation. The machining marks may have various geometric shapes, such as circular recesses obtained after drilling operations, milled quadrangular recesses or any other type of shape that may be obtained from machining operations and have the dimensions mentioned above.

The system further comprises an image detection reader 220 adapted to obtain an optical image of the machined mark 211. In some embodiments, the image detection reader 220 comprises a camera of a smartphone or tablet computer or a smart camera for obtaining optical images. As shown in fig. 2, the image is processed in a processing circuit 230, for example in a processing circuit of a cloud-based server, to retrieve identification data for the drilling tool based on the obtained optical image of the machining mark. The pre-processing of the image may also be performed at least in part by using a processing circuit of the image detection reader, a data processing unit, e.g. a smartphone or a tablet computer. The processing circuitry of the image detection reader includes a processor coupled to a memory. A display screen and communication circuitry, such as a wireless transceiver, may also be associated with the image detection reader. The processor may be a microprocessor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or other suitable device. The memory stores instructions and data used by the processor to perform the functions of image detection, drill recognition, and presenting results on a display screen. In one implementation, the reader memory is a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

The retrieved identification data for the drilling tool may be presented in the display device 240. In some embodiments, the mobile phone or wireless device is configured to include the image detection reader 220 and the display device 240 such that the obtaining of the visual image of the machined mark and the presentation of the identification are performed using the same entity. The reader may include one or more display screens configured to display data to a user and provide a graphical user interface for the user to interact with the reader device. The reader display screen may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) screen (e.g., a head-up display), a projection screen, a touch screen, or the like. In other words, the user is operable to control the reader device via a graphical user interface provided on the display screen.

In some embodiments, the recognition results are provided to a separate display device 240 capable of outputting the recognition data to the drill operator.

The identification data includes an identification of the drilling tool, drilling component, or drilling rig for which a visual image of the machined marking is obtained by the image sensing reader. A database associated with the processing circuitry stores identification data relating to each particular item.

The features of the image processing will be further explained in the detailed description of fig. 5A to 5C.

Turning to fig. 3, an example drilling tool is schematically illustrated as a drill bit. Fig. 3 schematically illustrates an example drilling tool 210 suitable for use in an earth drilling operation or a drilling operation of rock-like materials. The drilling tool 210 comprises at least one machined marking 211 on the surface of the drilling tool, wherein the machined marking is adapted to convey the identity of the drilling tool and the machined marking is provided in a surface of the drilling tool that is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when mounted in the drilling tool.

The machining indicia are disposed in a drill surface that is optically readable from a plurality of unique directions when mounted in a drill, for example, in a visually exposed portion of the engagement portion 212 of the drill. In the disclosed example, the first portion 212a of the engagement portion 212 is configured for mounting in, i.e., being received in, a drilling machine. The second portion 212b of the engagement portion 212 includes the machined indicia 211 and is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when the first portion is installed in a drill. Machining indicia using the same type of machining code may also be provided on other types of drilling components, particularly drill bit components having a life cycle shorter than the life cycle expectation of the drilling rig, resulting in the need for more or less frequent component replacement. In some examples, machining marks using the same type of machining code may be provided on the drill. Thus, the image detection reader of the earlier disclosed system may also be used to obtain visual images of machining marks in a drilling rig or other type of drilling component, and the processing circuitry may be configured to also retrieve identification data for the drilling rig or drilling component. The presence of the same code on the drilling rig also improves safety further when replacement parts need to be ordered for the drilling rig, since the operator can identify the drilling rig from a remote location using an image detection reader and process the replacement request remotely until the moment when the replacement is mechanically initiated. When a larger surface is available to carry the machined marks, the marks may be scaled so that the machined marks have dimensions such that: the image detection reader may also operate from a distance indicated as safe during operation of the drilling rig.

In some examples, the machining indicia 211 may be disposed on an envelope surface or perimeter surface of the drilling tool, such as on a curved portion of the engagement portion 212, also referred to as a stem, the engagement portion 212 configured to be at least partially engaged in, for example, a gripping tool of a drilling rig or a crusher body. In the example shown in fig. 3, the machining indicia is provided on a portion of the shank that is visible after engagement into the tool holder. The machined indicia may be machined on a curved surface that may be captured in one of the still images retrieved by the image sensing reader, for example, on a section of the envelope surface or perimeter surface, for example, 10% to 35% of the envelope circumference and preferably 15% to 25% of the envelope circumference, but may also be machined on a larger portion of the curved surface. In some examples, the machining mark may be obtained using a video stream. Thus, the machined marks may be arranged such that visual images may be obtained from a plurality of single orientations, i.e. a plurality of single line-of-sight positions of the visual inspection reader.

The visual inspection reader may be any type of known visual inspection reader, such as a camera included in a smartphone or tablet computer. Although the machined marks are provided in the surface of the drill that is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when installed in the drill, an operational state may also exist when the machined marks are not readily visually detectable by an image detection reader. This is of course the case during downhole drilling operations, but may also occur when a drilling tool is mounted in a crusher head configured to engage a larger part of the engagement portion. Thus, while the machining indicia are adapted to readily convey identification when installed in a drilling rig, the system is also applicable to drilling tools that are at least partially obscured when installed in some drilling rigs and crusher heads, and for which it is desirable to at least partially disengage from the drilling rig or the crusher head to make the machining indicia optically readable.

In some embodiments, the machined marks include a plurality of recesses arranged in a binary pattern, for example, recesses positioned at predetermined column and row locations, i.e., a matrix. The machining marks are positioned on sections of the peripheral surface and comprise a matrix of recesses having predetermined column and row positions to convey the identity of the drilling tool, i.e. to represent an identification code unique to the particular drilling tool. When installed in a drilling rig, the section including the machined indicia is optically readable from a plurality of single directions. Thus, the machined indicia is configured to enable remote reading from any single remote reader location of the plurality of single remote reader locations. The recess may be machined as a drill cavity in a drill. In some examples, the recess is machined as a non-through hole having a diameter in the range of 1mm to 10mm, preferably 2mm to 4mm, wherein a diameter of 3mm is used during testing to obtain the results reflected herein. The non-through holes are machined to have a depth of 0.5mm to 10mm, preferably 1mm to 7mm and most preferably 2mm to 5mm as measured from the surface of the drill prior to use. At the end of the drill life cycle, the depth of the non-through hole may be reduced compared to the original depth due to significant wear of the drill during drilling operations. Tests have shown that the drill bit may be worn such that the diameter of the drill bit is reduced by about 5mm at the end of the life cycle of the drill bit, resulting in a reduction of the radius by about 2.5 mm. Thus, for such applications, the depth of the non-through hole is preferably greater than 1 mm. Turning to other drill applications subjected to other operating conditions, however, the depth of the non-through hole should be adapted to the life cycle wear of the particular drill.

The matrix of recesses may comprise at least three recesses, and wherein the at least three recesses are arranged to have corner positions in the matrix and any further one or more recesses are arranged to have non-corner positions. The fourth corner position is free of a recess so that the corner position can be used as a reference during optical reading of the machined mark.

Fig. 4A and 4B disclose examples of machined marks arranged in a 4x4 matrix. As shown in fig. 4A, each recess/hole location is identified by a number, e.g., starting with 1 in the upper left corner and ending with 16 in the lower right corner. In some examples,

corner positions

4, 13, and 16 are machined recesses in a matrix pattern, while corner position 1 has no recesses. As shown in fig. 4A,

locations

2, 5, 10, 14 and 15 may also include recesses, i.e., recesses having predetermined column and row locations that reflect an optically readable identification code for a drill carrying machining indicia. Turning to fig. 4B, a similar solution is reflected, where four corner positions provide references for matrix reads. In the disclosed example,

locations

4, 13, and 16 are filled recesses in a matrix pattern, while location 1 is unfilled. In all applications of matrix patterns, known combinations of predetermined column and row positions, with or without recesses, filled or unfilled, provide the ability to use these positions as references in processing visual images obtained from a visual image reader. The use of 4 rows and 4 columns of 4 test patterns specifying reference locations provides bit identification from any of 2^12(4096) possible combinations that can be used to reflect the drill tool identification. In some embodiments, the dimples are arranged in columns and rows arranged in a 3x3, 3x4, 4x3, 4x4, 4x5, 5x4, 5x5, 5x6, 6x5, or 6x6 matrix.

Turning to fig. 5A-5C, a method for identifying a drilling tool is presented. The method involves identifying a drilling tool suitable for use in a drilling rig arranged to perform an earth drilling operation or a drilling operation of a rock-like material. The method comprises obtaining S51 a visual image of a machining mark on a surface of the drilling tool and retrieving S53 identification data of the drilling tool based on the obtained visual image of the machining mark, wherein the machining mark is adapted to convey an identity of the drilling tool and the machining mark is provided in a surface of the drilling tool that is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when mounted in the drilling tool, i.e. optically readable from a plurality of line-of-sight positions of a remote optical reader. The retrieval of the identification data is performed based on the obtained visual image of the machined marker, but may be performed after an intermediate step of performing S52 image processing on the obtained visual image. In an optional end step, the retrieved identification data is verified.

The drilling tool or drilling component specific data, i.e. the identification data, is stored in a database accessible by the processing circuitry. After converting the obtained visual image into a binary code representing the drill tool identification, the recognition may be retrieved. The drill tool identification enables retrieval from a database of data associated with a particular drill tool. Such data includes item identification, but may also include the date when the drill was installed in the drill rig, information relating to the time of operation, etc. The identification data may also be updated when a drill is installed or removed from the drilling rig.

FIG. 5B discloses an example implementation of the method of FIG. 5A. Initially, a visual image of the machined mark in the drill is obtained S52, for example by means of a camera. In a subsequent optional step, the obtained visual image may be processed with processing circuitry of the visual image reader, so that the obtained visual image can be mapped to corresponding identification data.

The image processing may comprise a pre-processing wherein the obtained visual image is converted to grey scale and rescaled in size in an image scaling step before performing the filtering as disclosed in fig. 5C. The filtering may be performed using the steps and apparatus illustrated in fig. 5C and will be discussed further below, but the present disclosure is not limited to performing such filtering.

Returning to fig. 5B, the image processing step further comprises the step of identifying contours in the obtained visual image, e.g. contours in a pre-processed visual image as suggested in fig. 5C. Image processing software is used to identify contours and average contour sizes in the image. Mapping the contour to a reference structure, e.g. a two-dimensional grid structure, may be performed to achieve the identification. Prior to identifying the contour locations, outliers are removed, for example, by mapping the contour locations to a two-dimensional grid. Fitting the contours to the identified locations in the grid provides the contour identification. After mapping the profile identification, the result of the mapping is used to retrieve the identification data. Although the above disclosed solution presents one possible example of retrieving identification data based on an obtained visual image, the present disclosure is not so limited, and many types of background art image recognition techniques may be applied to retrieve identification data based on an obtained image of a machined mark in a drill.

Optionally, the method for identifying a drilling tool adapted for use in a drilling rig arranged to perform an earth drilling operation or a drilling operation of rock like material may further comprise the step of verifying S54 the retrieved identification data to avoid ambiguity or misidentification. In some examples, the step of verifying S54 the identification data includes checking for repetitions, e.g., represented by a plurality of contours in each grid cell. Further, the verification may include checking the contour in the checksum position as explained in the disclosure of fig. 4A and 4B. Contours in grid rows and columns are identified. If some of the verification steps fail, the image may be rotated, for example by 5 degrees, and then the above disclosed method steps repeated on the obtained visual image; for example, after the image scaling S521. The rotation of the image may continue until a 360 degree rotation is achieved. If there is still a problem in obtaining the verification result, the process can be continued using any of the filters 2 to 4.

Turning to fig. 5C, a filtering process is disclosed. The main purpose of the filtering is to clean and enhance the image during a pre-processing step before the step of retrieving the identification data is performed. The purpose of the filtering is to obtain a contrast image, for example a black and white image, free of noise and to reduce the risk of fuzzy or erroneous results in the step of retrieving the identification data. Fig. 5C discloses details of the filter 1, but the filters 2 to 4 of fig. 5B are arranged to operate in a similar manner using different parameters.

The filtering in filter 1 is performed on the resized grayscale image resulting from step S521 of image scaling that may be performed using the steps shown in fig. 5B.

The filtering S522 includes a step of smoothing the image by applying a blur, such as Gaussian and/or Median. The filtering also includes one or more threshold applications to obtain a binary image, for example by reversing the color, i.e., black and white pixels, to distinguish contrast, reduce the image spectrum, and remove isolated pixels in the image, wherein the obtained visual image has been converted to a contour image comprising black and white, aggregated pixels.

The above disclosed example methods of image processing enable the identification of hole identifiers, such as the numerical identifiers suggested in fig. 4A and 4B. The hole identification may then be converted to a binary or decimal number corresponding to the identification data of the drilling tool. Such a reference list of identification data is stored in a processing circuit of the system, for example a processing circuit comprised in a cloud-based server. In addition to product identification, the identification data may also be used to retrieve additional life cycle information for the drilling tool. Such life cycle information may include operational data retrieved from a system included in the drilling rig.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method is performed by a wireless device, such as a smartphone or tablet, that includes application software developed for the purpose of drill tool identification. The application may be developed to obtain S51 a visual image, i.e. a camera image of a digital camera using a smartphone or tablet. In a subsequent step, the obtained visual image may be forwarded to a processing circuit to enable retrieval of the identification data S53. In one example application, the smartphone or tablet application includes software whereby the processing circuitry of the smartphone or tablet is used to retrieve the identification data. In such applications, database information related to the drill tool identification is stored locally in association with the application. In another example application, the processing circuitry is at least partially included in a cloud server or another type of remote server that includes identification data for the drill tool user and other types of additional data. Accordingly, the methods and systems presented herein may be enabled, at least in part, as a cloud application. After the step of obtaining S51 the visual image is digitally obtained and transmitted to a remote server, for example using a wireless transmission circuit of a smartphone or tablet. The processing circuit performs retrieval S53 of the identification data, for example, after image processing on the visual image obtained in the cloud application. When the identification data has been retrieved, the result may be transmitted to the smartphone or tablet computer and provided to the user on the display screen.

Fig. 6 discloses an image of a drill including corresponding machining marks, the drill being captured at the beginning and end of the drill life cycle. As these images demonstrate, the machining marks can withstand significant wear during operation of the drill, enabling remote drill identification also at the end of the drill life cycle and safe execution also when the drill is in the operational mode.

Returning to the rock drilling rig disclosed in fig. 1, the identification system 200 may also comprise the rock drilling rig of fig. 1 or any other type of rock drilling or drilling machine. The rock drilling machine and/or the rock drilling rig configured to hold the drilling tool may optionally comprise machining marks, such as machining codes, on a visible surface portion of the rock drilling machine and/or the rock drilling rig. The machining indicia are adapted to communicate the identity of the rock drill and/or rock drilling rig. Thus, the disclosed system may also be used to identify rock drills, and/or other drilling components that carry the same type of machining indicia on visually usable surfaces.

When carried by a rock drill, rock drilling rig and/or other drilling components, machining indicia are provided on a surface that is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when installed in the drilling rig. The first portion of the engagement portion may be configured for mounting in a drill and the second portion of the engagement portion may include machined indicia that is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when the first portion is mounted in the drill, for example on the first portion of the engagement portion or a shank of a drill bit. The same type of machining indicia may also be provided on the optically readable surface of the drill and/or drilling component, and the same coding system (described below) is also applicable to machining indicia provided on a drill or other drilling component. Thus, the disclosed system using a combination of an image detection reader and processing circuitry may be broadly applicable to the identification of machined marks regardless of which item is subject to such encoding.

The description of the example embodiments provided herein is presented for purposes of illustration. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit example embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of various alternatives to the embodiments provided. The examples discussed herein were chosen and described in order to explain the principles and the nature of various example embodiments and their practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the example embodiments in various ways and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The features of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in all possible combinations of the system for identifying a drilling tool, the corresponding drilling tool, the method and the computer program product.

Claims

1. A drilling tool (210), the drilling tool (210) being configured for use in a drilling machine arranged to perform rock drilling operations, the drilling tool comprising machining marks (211) on a peripheral surface of the drilling tool, wherein the machining marks are positioned on sections of the peripheral surface and comprise a matrix of recesses having predetermined column and row positions to convey an identity of the drilling tool, and wherein the machining marks are optically readable from a plurality of single directions when mounted in the drilling machine.

2. The drilling tool (210) according to claim 1, wherein the machining marks are positioned on sections having an angular range of 30 ° to 120 ° and preferably 30 ° to 90 °.

3. A drilling tool (210) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the matrix of recesses comprises at least three recesses, and wherein three recesses are arranged with corner positions in the matrix and any further one or more recesses are arranged with non-corner positions.

4. The drilling tool (210) according to claim 2, wherein the matrix of dimples is a 3x3, 3x4, 4x3, 4x4, 4x5, 5x4, 5x5, 5x6, 6x5 or 6x6 matrix.

5. A drilling tool (210) according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the recess is a non-through cavity in the drilling tool.

6. The drilling tool (210) according to claim 5, wherein the non-through cavities have a depth of 1 to 10mm, preferably 1 to 3mm, a diameter D of 0.5 to 10mm, preferably 1 to 4mm, and a mutual center point distance of greater than or equal to 2D.

7. The drilling tool (210) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the machining indicia are arranged on a cylindrical engagement portion (212), wherein a first portion (212a) of the engagement portion is configured for mounting in a drilling machine and a second portion (212b) of the engagement portion comprises the machining indicia and is optically readable from a plurality of single directions when the first portion is mounted in the drilling machine.

8. A system (200) for identifying a drilling tool adapted for use in a rock drilling machine or rock drilling rig arranged to perform an earth drilling operation or a drilling operation of rock-like material, the system comprising:

-a drilling tool (210) according to any of claims 1 to 7;

-a portable image detection reader (220), the portable image detection reader (220) being adapted to obtain one or more optical images of the machined mark from at least one of a plurality of single orientations; and

-processing circuitry (230), the processing circuitry (230) being configured to retrieve identification data of the drilling tool based on the obtained one or more optical images of the machining mark.

9. The system (200) of claim 8, wherein the portable image detection reader (220) is included in a wireless device.

10. The system (200) of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is a smartphone, a smart camera, or a tablet.